[QUEZON'S BEST KEPT SECRETS] Lambanog

1. The Issue
Lambanog is a Philippine alcoholic beverage most commonly described as coconut wine or coconut vodka. The drink is distilled from the sap of the unopened coconut flower, and is known for its potency and high alcohol content (80 and 90 proof). Most of the Lambanog distilleries are in the Quezon province of Luzon, Philippines. In the late 1990s, the Industrial Technology Development Institute, along with the Department of Science and Technology began working with the three biggest distilleries to standardize the distillation process. This collaboration has improved the quality of the product. Its introduction to the world market began with exports to Taiwan and Cambodia in 2001. Since then, it has enjoyed increasing exposure and popularity since. Because it is an organic, (chemical-free) product, Lambanog makes a unique addition to the liquor market.
2. Description
Lambanog is an alcholic beverage known for its potency (it is sold in 80 or 90 proof variations). It is primarily produced in the Quezon Province of the Philippines, or about 143 kilometers southeast of Manila. The lambanog making process has been a tradition passed down through generations of coconut plantation farmers in this region. In fact, the Mallari distillery was established in 1918.
The process begins with the coconut tree -- "the tree of life." As with most fruit-bearing trees, flowers turn into the fruit. Lambanog making trees never produce fruit, because it is the sap from the coconut flower that is the crucial ingredient for this unique coconut wine. Plantation workers called mangagarit climb the coconut trees every afternoon to prune the flowers so that their sap drips into bamboo receptacles called tukil. (This process is analogous to rubber tree tapping.) The next morning, the mangagarit returns to collect the sap from these receptacles. The sap is then put through a cooking or fermentation process, which produces a popular coconut toddy called tuba. The tuba is then taken and distilled to produce lambanog. Until recently, lambanog was primarily an local drink, much like home-made apple cider or backwoods moonshine. Lambanog is widely enjoyed by the locals of the Quezon province, and festive occasions are incomplete without the traditional "tagayan" or wine-drinking. While the "tagayan" can take on different forms, the most common kind involves taking turns drinking out of a single glass set in the middle of the group.
Because of its long history as a cottage industry product, lambanog is still beginning to gain worldwide recognition. Also, in an efforts to increase its appeal to people of all ages, it is now marketed in several flavors: mango, blueberry, bubblegum, cinnamon, etc.
Cultural RelevanceBecause coconut trees abound throughout the Philippines, and because the process of distilling lambanog from tuba is a relatively inexpensive process, it is known as a poor man’s drink. Farmers often wind down by drinking lambanog after a long day’s work.
In Quezon, drinking lambanog is usually a communal thing – men sit around in a circle and take turns drinking shots from a cup placed in the middle of the group. Usually, there is also someone singing and playing the guitar to add to the festivities; he takes his turn at drinking too, so the music gets more interesting as the drinking goes on.
Government InvolvementCoconut Products are among the Philippines’ top ten exports. In recent years, other countries have increased their investment in the coconut industries, rivaling the Philippines in terms of export production. In response, the country has been looking for new ways to recover its corner on the market. Lambanog was one of the products selected for export development. The Industrial Technology Development Institute, along with the Department of Science and Technology began working with the three biggest distilleries to standardize the distillation process; their suggestions improved the quality of the product. To prepare for export, the government’s Brand Development Program worked with the distilleries to develop unique bottling and packaging; they hoped to introduce lambanog with a Philippine trademark on the global market to increase its competitiveness.
Market Penetration and PotentialLambanog was launched on the export market in 2001. Exposure and popularity have also been helped by the tourism industry. Tourists who visit the Philippines inevitably sample lambanog and look for it abroad. Recently, hotels and corporations have begun to introduce creative desserts that feature lambanog as a key ingredient. One of these is the Werdenberg Corporation Manila, whose recipe is called Tirami-Asia. Under the Brand Development Program, work is being done to trademark lambanog and make it more competitive on the global market. The distilleries have also begun to release flavored lambanog (ranging from bubblegum, mango, calamansi, and blueberry), which has increased its appeal on younger consumers. Efforts are also under way to market it to the more health conscious consumers as an organic wine.
Environmental impactBecause lambanog comes from the distilled sap of the unopened coconut flower, it is in the industry’s best interests to take good care of its coconut trees. As the demand for lambanog increases, it will naturally serve as an incentive to plant more trees.
3. Related Cases
Coconut --focused on nata de coco – an indigenous Filipino dessert that enjoyed great popularity in Japan in the early 90’s. According to this case study, the popularity of nata de coco as a trendy dessert caused such a surge in demand for the coconut product that it caused some environmental and unemployment problems, which were further complicated when the dessert’s popularity declined.
Sugar -- Philsug case which highlighted sugar as the Philippines’ leading export crop and the large impact that the U.S. quota reduction in the late 1980’s has had on the Philippine economy and environment.
Sake -- Sake is a Japanese rice wine that is now widely known, and often consumed with sushi and other Japanese foods. Like lambanog, there are traditional ways of making sake, and great care goes into making it. Currently, sake is the only Asian wine featured in the TED database.
Grappa -- The Grappa case describes it as “a distillation of the sediment left after pressing grapes to make wine. It goes on to say that while it “originally emerged as a poor man's drink, grappa has recently attained status equivalent to that of Scotch whisky or exquisite cognacs. Italians sip it for breakfast, it is added into coffee and also used as a digestive after meals or an ingredient in cooking (e.g., in cakes, cookies and homemade sausages).”
TsingTao beer -- This case study explores the history of TsingTao and Taiwan Beer, the politics of Taiwan and the Mainland, relevant economic issues, and the legal principles that would be involved in possible litigation.



Ang Lambanog ay isang katawagan ng mga Filipino para sa alak na gawa mula sa 100% purong sangkap. Ang ilang halimbawa ng mga pinagkukunan ng lambanog ay tuba, niyog, bigas at sasa, isang kahalintulad ng puno ng niyog ngunit kadalasang tumutubo sa mga lugar na malapit sa ilog at latian. Ang lambanog ay ang pangunahing produkto ng lalawigan ng Quezon.
Ang proseso ng paggawa ng lambanog ay naging isa ng tradisyon na ipinasa sa bawat henerasyon ng mga magsasaka na nagtatanim ng niyog.

Proseso ng Paggawa
Maaaring gawin ang lambanog sa pamamagitan ng proseso ng distilasyon. Ang katas o dagta ng bulaklak ng niyog ang pinakamahalagang sangkap upang magawa ang alak na ito. Ang mga manggagagawa ng taniman na tinatawag na mangagarit ay aakyat sa puno ng niyog tuwing tanghali upang putulin ang mga bulaklak. Ang dagta ng bulaklak na ito ay patutuluin sa mga lalagyan na tinatawag na tukil. Kinabukasan, kokolektahin ng mangagarit ang dagta mula sa lalagyan at ito ay dadaan sa proseso ng permentasyon, na makakalikha naman ng tuba. Ang tuba ay kukunin at matapos na dumaan sa proseso ng distilasyon, ito ay magiging lambanog.
Ang limang galon ng lambanog ay karaniwang nagkakahalagang P200-500 depende sa dami ng paninda at gustong bumili. Ang lambanog ay 100% na natural at ito ay walang mga masasamang kemikal na tulad ng ibang mga komersyal na alak.
Dahil sa mahabang kasaysayan nito bilang isang produkto ng cottage industry, ang lambanog ay nagsisimula ng makakuha ng pagkilala sa buong mundo. Upang lumakas din ang dating nito sa lahat ng tao, ito ay maaari ng mabili sa ilang lasa tulad ng: mangga, blueberry, bubblegum, cinnamon atbp.